


Touch starved

by orphan_account



Category: Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, None - Freeform, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, no starker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:55:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27256804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: At some point, things became worse than worse. Around junior year, It physically hurt touching people. There were too many nerves, too much friction, just too much. It hurt more to realize this, to know that after so long, after so much pining, there wasn’t a damn thing he could do because he couldn’t fucking touch. And he couldn’t explain it either. How was he supposed to explain that because he had been so alone for so long, he couldn’t do the one thing that might take away the loneliness?
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 1
Kudos: 52





	Touch starved

**Author's Note:**

> Basically 1k words of me projecting

Peter was not one who enjoyed being touched. Well, at least not anymore. Back when he was a kid, warm and bubbly, he loved nothing more than to get a hug from mom, or to cuddle up with her and a cup of cocoa on a cold winter night, looking up at the stars. But that was a long time ago, and he had long since closed himself off.

He needed to, after all. Once his parents died things became too touchy. The pity in other people’s voices as they spoke about him to his face became too much. Became too noisy. It made him self conscious, and things only got worse after Ben. 

And then he got bitten by the spider, and everything changed. Suddenly he had to swing around the city saving people- and he felt.... different. For example, He keeps flinching when people get near him, senses overly focused on the warmth they emit and how close they are to him. Yet, when the person moves away, there’s a creeping sense of... of loss. 

At some point, things became worse than worse. Around junior year, It physically hurt touching people. There were too many nerves, too much friction, just too much. It hurt more to realize this, to know that after so long, after so much pining, there wasn’t a damn thing he could do because he couldn’t fucking touch. And he couldn’t explain it either. How was he supposed to explain that because he had been so alone for so long, he couldn’t do the one thing that might take away the loneliness?

You see, the thing is, tony and peter were complete opposites. Tony was a well of touch, and Peter was drawn to that like a man in the desert.

The first time it had happened, He was only supposed to swing by for a little, but at this rate it looked like he was spending the night. Fine with both of them- but peter couldn’t help but yearn. Yearn for touch. Someone to hold him. He’d been feeling this way for so long and he didn’t know what to do with himself. Every time he tried to initiate contact his tongue would dry and grow five sizes in his mouth and smooth words turned clumsy and he was shaking and sweaty and fuck everything it wasn’t worth it.

He thought about that long and hard while sitting in the lab. In the lab with Mr. stark. 

Tony had walked up to him, coaxed the kid into going to bed- because hell if peter wouldn’t sleep without it- and clapped him on the back. Peter had to physically restrain himself. He wanted to melt into the touch, be told by his mentor that things were gonna be ok. That he wasn’t just a skin hungry teenager with a caffeine addiction.

Even after both of them had gone their separate ways, Peter could still feel the tingle on his back. The sensation of touch. Oh, did he want more. He was good and ready to beg someone for a platonic cuddle just to ease the pain.

The second time it happened, tony was worried about the kid. Had been, for awhile

They had just got back from a mission, the premise was short sweet and to the point, but peter had nearly had a heart attack when a man’s guts sprayed all over him. It hadn’t just shocked him, but shook him to his core. He and tony both knew it would haunt him. 

Currently, peter was dressing in different, not-blood-clot-covered clothing, when he heard a knock at his door. “One second!” Peter shouted, shoving on a midtown hoodie. 

“You good, Pete?” Tony has asked, bravado from the earlier fight no where to be found. Just a gentle, nervous, smile and staring at peter’s shaking hands

“Yea- yea I’m fine, I’ll just need a bit to cool off, y’know.”

Mr. Stark nodded, giving the kid a quick pat on his shoulder and there was that tingling sensation again. That feeling of want, of desperation. 

The third time it happened was no mistake. Tony had just picked peter up from school, all smiles and bubbly attitude. Tony could tell the kid had a rough day but was hiding it behind humor, like he always did. He could see it in the bags under the kids eyes, the way he flinched back when people got near him. In fact, he’d noticed this a long time ago: when was the last time the kid got a hug?

Tony found himself voicing said concern after peter, once again, flinched away while grabbing a screw driver. 

“Pete- you good? Like, positive you’re good?”

Peter had looked at him confused, eyebrows scrunching up like he’d just been given a plate of broccoli 

“What’da mean Mr. Stark?” He’d asked, arms folded over his chest

Tony sighed “you seem- lonely? No, no that’s not the word. It’s just, every timesomeone gets near you, you freak out kid. What’s that about?”

Peter only shrugged, “I guess I’m just jumpy lately- you get what I mean? I don’t like.... touch.” There was a sort of urgency in his voice, like he wanted this conversation to stop right now. But tony pushed forward 

“Or do you mean you don’t GET touch” tony prodded, worry evident in his features

Peter stood up “Mr. Stark, I get you’re trying to help— but I’m fine! I’m all good. No need to worry about little old me” the kid laughed nervously 

Tony sighed, “listen, kid, you gotta drop your guard sometimes ok? It’s not healthy for you to constantly put up a fight.”

“I know, Mr. Stark” 

Damn himself. Damn his need to be seen as a mature teenager. Only babies needed to be touched, he told himself. He was practically an avenger! He didn’t need hugs. Or at least that’s what he reassured himself of as Tony rubbed his hands over his face, stood up and announced he was going to get them drinks. 

“What’da want kid?” Tony had called from over at the in house vending machine in the lab (which Peter thought was so cool, he’d made sure to point it out every time he came over because who doesn’t want a vending machine in their house?)

“Anything’s fine.” Peter supplied, currently sulking in his chair from the aftermath of the embarrassing conversation. 

They ate dinner in silence that night. It was unusual for peter to not, well, constantly run his mouth. He had things to talk about, his ADHD only drove this fact home. 

While he was finishing off a slice of pizza, he realized Mr. Stark was staring at him.

“...what?” Peter asked, mouth half full

“Just, tell me when you’re not alright, from now on, kid?” 

“Yea, sure”


End file.
